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rUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE A. DENNIS, OF NEWARK, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE B. .TENKINSON, OF SAME PLACE.

.EBFECEFCATION forming partA of Letters Patent No. 342,502, dated May 25, 1886.

Application tiled March 4, 1SSG. Serial No. 103,961. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEoDoEE A.y DENNIs, a citizen ol' the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Catches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which Io it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In said drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a trunk to which the improved `catch is attached. Fig. 2 is asectionalview through line m of one of the catches, showing the relation of the parts when the catch isin its holding position. Fig. 3 is asimilar View illustrating 2o the releasing position of the catch,the said View being taken on the line y in Fig. l. Fig. et is a perspective View of a portionof the pivoted catch shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Figs. 5 and S are perspective views of the grooved catch- 2 5 ing-hook which is secured to the trunk-lid, Fig. 8, having a spring projecting into the groove. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a cap. Fig. 7 4is a sectional view, illustrating a modified form of the pivoted catching-bar. Fig. 9 is a 3o vertical section of the lower end of the catch shown in Fig. 8, and Fig. ll() is a top view of the simplest form of the pivotcd catchingbar.

In the above-described views similarletters 3 5 of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts.

The object of the invention is to provide a trunk-catch of simple and economical construction and of positive and effective opera- 40 tion, the same consisting of a trunk-catch constructed and arranged substantially` as indicated in the drawings, and described and y claimed hereinafter.

the lid thereof, and G the valance. To the lid is secured a hook, consisting of a plate, b, which extends downward below the valance, and is provided with a recess or groove, b', therein,with which the catching-bar, attached 5o to .the body of the trunk, engages when the A in the views indicates the tru uli-body; B,

said bar is operatedto fasten the lid and body of the trunk together. The Said groove may be of any shape; but is preferably semicircular, as indicated in the drawings. Should it be considered desirable, a spring, Zr', may be 55 so arranged as to press against the catching bar to prevent any disengagement of said bar from the groove while the trunk is being roughly handled. Asindicated in Figs. 8 and 9, the hook is recessed and a spring-piece, b2, 6o secured in or at the back thereof, projects through the recess b, substantially as shown. The pivoted or rotating catching-bar may be made in a variety of ways, several of which are illustrated in the drawings, Fig. l() showing` the simplest form of the bar, which consists of a cylindrical body, b", recessed at ZP, leaving a segmental portion, b", which engages with the groove in thchook. Annulargrooves I)7 may be made in the bar, which receives the 7o staples by which the bar is pivotal-ly securedV to the trunk. By turning the bar so that theA segmental portion b clears the groove inwthe hook, the recess I) permits the upward passage of the said hook therethrough as the lid is lifted. This form of the catching-bar may be provided with a suitable iinger-pie'ce for rotating the same.

In Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4 is illustrated a form of the catching device having two plates, a a', 8c formed leccentrically or with a bulging portion, ai, as in Figs. l, 2, and 4 above mentioned, or without said portion c2, as shown in Fig. 7. Connecting said plates is acatchingbar, c, which enters into holding engagement with the groove in the hook b when operated for that purpose, and may connect the centers of the plates and be thrown from its holding. engagement with the hook by the eccentric or bulging portion cz engaging with the trunkgo body when the bar is turned, as indicated in Fig. 3, or may extend between the plates c c off the centers thereof, as in Fig. 7, and disen` gaged from the hook by the simple rotation ot' the said plates by the linger-piece d. g 5

The catching-bar maybe of any form in cross-section, either circular or rounded, polyhedrical, or segmental, as desirable. The segmental orm, as illust-rated in the drawings,

is considered preferable, as the arc or curved roo portion readily engages the groove b', in the hook, while the fiat side allows the hook to pass when that side is turned toward the said hook.

The rotating eatehingbar maybe pivotally secured to the trunk by staples e, by caps f, or in any well-known manner. The projecting or bulging portion (t2 not only serves to throw the catching-bar away from the hook, but also holds the finger-piece away from the trunk, as indicated in Fig. 3. rIhe same re sult may be effected by formingthe end of the iingenpiece as shown in Fig. 7, both of these constructions being designed to allow the insertion of the linger between the piece d and the trunk to throw the said nger-piece down into its fastening position. (Shown in Figs. 2 and 7.) The disengagement of the bar from the hook is effected by simply turning the said bar by means of the finger-piece until the bar clears the groove in the hook, thus permitting the passage of the hook through the recess or opening in the catching-bar and the lifting of the lid of the trunk. The reverse of this operation, after the lid has been closed, restores the catching-bar to its holding engagement with the hook.

rIhe pivotal motion of the catchingbar, as will be evident from the foregoingdescription, is in an axial line at right angles to the line of movement of the hook toward and from the said bar, thereby securing the resisting strength ofthe bar thronghout'its entire length. Thecatehing device-both the bar and hookis, further, of the utmost simplicity in construction having no complicated arrangement of parts which are liable to become disarran ged, and because of its simplicity the parts can be made very strong and durable.

Having described theinvention, I wish tov claimthe following:

1. In a trunk-catch, the combination, with a hook provided with a groove, of a rotating catching-bar turning pivotally in an axial line at right angles to the line of movement of the hook toward and from said bar and yengaging with the groove in said hook when in its fastening position,and having a recess therein which, when said catching-bar is rotated and disengaged from the hook, permits the passage of the said hook therethrough, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a trunk-catch, the combination,with a hook having a groove therein, of a rotating segmental catching-bar,the are or rounded side of which engages with the groove in the hook when said catching-bar is in its fastening position and which clears the said hook when said bar is rotated and the flat side of the same isturned next to the grooved hook, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

3. In a trunk-catch, the combination,with a hook having a groove therein, of a rotating catching-bar extending between annular plates a a off the axis of rotation thereof and turning therewith, said bar being thrown into engagement with the grooved plate, and disengaged therefrom by the rotation of the annular plates, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a trunk-catch, the combination of a hook having a groove therein, a segmental catching-bar, annular plates provided with a bulging portion or projection thereon, and formed integral with the catching-bar, and a finger-piece formed on said annular plates, all said parts being arranged and operating sub` stantiall y as and for the purposes set forth.

5. -In a trunk-catch, the combination of a hook having a recessed groove therein, and a spring projecting into said groove through the recess therein for the purpose set forth, a rotating catching-bar having a recess, b5, therein, the portion 1f' of said bar engaging with the grooved hook, which, when the said bar is turned from its holding engagement, is free to pass through the said recess b5 in the bar, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of January, 1886.

THEO. A. DENNIS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PnLL, FREDK. F. CAMPBELL. 

